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Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Ādi-līlā · 17 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
  4. 4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
  5. 5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
  6. 6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.
Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›
Ādi-līlā · Chapter 3: The External Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Ādi 3.88Ādi 3.90

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 3.89

উল্লংঘিতত্রিবিধসীমসমাতিশায়ি–

সম্ভাবনং তব পরিব্রঢ়িমস্বভাবম্‌ ।

মায়াবলেন ভবতাপি নিগুহ্যমানং

পশ্যন্তি কেচিদনিশং ত্বদনন্যভাবাঃ ॥ ৮৯ ॥

ullaṅghita-trividha-sīma-samātiśāyi-

sambhāvanaṁ tava parivraḍhima-svabhāvam

māyā-balena bhavatāpi niguhyamānaṁ

paśyanti kecid aniśaṁ tvad-ananya-bhāvāḥ

Translation

“O my Lord, everything within material nature is limited by time, space and thought. Your characteristics, however, being unequaled and unsurpassed, are always transcendental to such limitations. You sometimes cover such characteristics by Your own energy, but nevertheless Your unalloyed devotees are always able to see You under all circumstances.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Is Beyond Material Limits

  1. 1

    Everything under māyā is limited by space, time and thought. Our imperfect senses and thinking power cannot grasp the greatness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    The Lord is transcendental to space, time and thought. Although He appears within them, He remains beyond their limitations.

  3. 3

    Even when the Lord’s existence is disguised, pure devotees can see His personal features. Their transcendental devotional service takes them beyond the material coverings.

Key points from the purport
  • Everything covered by the influence of māyā is within the limited boundaries of space, time and thought.
  • Our power to think about space and time is also limited.
  • Even when the Lord’s transcendental existence is disguised by space, time and thought, however, pure devotees of the Supreme Lord can see Him in His personal features beyond space, time and thought.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Compassion and urgency. The holy name is offered for the age; divine love moves outward toward others.

The mood of Ādi 3 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 3: The External Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The Vedas and Purāṇas foretell the appearance of Lord Caitanya, but still He is sometimes called, significantly, the concealed descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Advaita Ācārya was a contemporary of Lord Caitanya’s father.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 3
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. ullaṅghitapassed over
  2. tri-vidhathree kinds
  3. sīmathe limitations
  4. samaof equal
  5. atiśāyiand of excelling
  6. sambhāvanamby which the adequacy
  7. tavaYour
  8. parivraḍhimaof supremacy
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Sevā · Love translated into service

    Devotional service expressed through cleansing, caring, teaching, honoring others, and living as Kṛṣṇa’s servant. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “service”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does recognizing the limits of my thinking change my approach to understanding the Lord?

Practice

Reread the translation slowly, reflecting on devotional service rather than thinking power alone as the way to see the Lord.

Live this todayThe Lord Is Beyond Material LimitsThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

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